The 18th edition of the Brussels Airport Marathon & Half Marathon will take place on Sunday 1 October. Runners from all over the world will put on their running shoes for this amazing course. Will you?
1. Start in the heart of historic city center
This year, the start of the marathon and half marathon is moving from the Atomium to Place De Brouckère in the city centre. But even before running a full metre, participants will already experience their first highlight. After all, they can collect their participant pack from one of the most beautiful squares in the world: the Grand Place!
2. New Course: Faster than ever!
Brussels is never flat, but in comparison with the old course on the other side of the city, the gradient has drastically dropped. The course is surprising and varied and should allow everyone to set a sharp time!
3. Iconic Finish
After an amazing passage past the Atomium, you run over the Avenue de Marathon (what’s in a name) in the direction of the King Baudouin Stadium. The majestic finish is on the same athletics track that will host the Allianz Memorial Van Damme Diamond League Meeting a few weeks prior. You will receive your well-earned medal in this unique location listening to the approving applause of the supporters in the stands. It is bound to give you goosebumps!
4. Brussel is a Compact City
When you are in Brussels, you are in the heart of Europe, literally and figuratively. Travelling by train it takes less than two hours to get to the centre of Brussels from London, Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne. Its limited surface area makes it a compact city where you can move around easily by metro, tram and bus.
5. For the Entire Family!
The seasoned athlete will be catered for during the 42.195 km through Brussels, but the programme also features the renewed Brussels Airport Half Marathon, a 10 km and 5 km (walk) in addition to the marathon. And the little ones can let off some steam in the Kids Run in the Parc de Laeken. So, there is something for everyone!
6. Running For Charity
The Brussels Airport Marathon & Half Marathon supports the Demoucelle Parkinson Charity, which carries out scientific research into a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Join us, run through the heart of Europe and give this vital research a boost with your donation!
7. Running Together with Participants from all over The World
The Brussels Airport Marathon & Half Marathon is garnering an increasingly international acclaim year after year. The previous edition was attended by participants from no fewer than 105 countries, who, thanks to the proximity and the wide range of destinations of Brussels Airport, get there easily and quickly. The start in the heart of city, close to the many European Institutions, fits perfectly in that international image. Appearing at the start with participants from over one hundred countries, that’s fantastic, isn’t it?
8. The Most Cosmopolitan City on the Continent
You will be able to meet the world after the race too! The city has a distinct international character. It’s a character that suits the people from Brussels. They love everything that is inter, multi, cosmo or diverse. It is in their genes. Nowhere else in Europe can you find a city with a higher percentage of people of foreign origin. They are proud of their cosmopolitan identity here.
9. Brussels is Alive
Thanks to the extreme cultural diversity and its young population Brussels is a very lively community. Brussels is alive any time of day, in every language and in every corner of the region. Brussels holds more than 23,000 cultural events each year.
10. “Après l’effort, le réconfort”
Once the marathon through Brussels is done and dusted, you can probably only think of one thing. Food, right? No problem. The Belgian capital offers an incredible number of good restaurants in a relatively small surface area. 17 Michelin stars and a few thousand different cuisines, with influences from all over the world, mean that the culinary bar is very high. But be sure to try our classic three: fries, chocolate and beer.
